Pittsburgh @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 15, 2015 ) Pittsburgh 5, NY Mets 3

Seeking to avoid being swept at home for only the second time this season, the New York Mets send ace Matt Harvey to the mound to face the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday in the finale of a three-game series. The Pirates have won the first two games in extra innings, including Saturday's 14-inning marathon, to improve to 5-0 against New York this season.

Harvey appears to be back to the dominant form he displayed prior to Tommy John surgery that wiped out his 2014 season. The hard-throwing right-hander is 3-0 over his last four outings - a stretch that featured consecutive scoreless starts and one run allowed over his last 22 2/3 innings. Pittsburgh has won 14 of its last 20 games to maintain its 1 1/2-game lead over the surging Chicago Cubs for the top wild card in the National League. Aramis Ramirez and Gregory Polanco went deep in Saturday's 5-3 victory, extending the Pirates' streak to nine games with a home run.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, TBS, ROOT (Pittsburgh), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Jeff Locke (6-7, 4.43 ERA) vs. Mets RH Matt Harvey (11-7, 2.61)

Since tossing eight scoreless innings of two-hit ball versus Cleveland on July 4, Locke has been in a bit of a tailspin while registering only one quality start over his last six turns. The 27-year-old is 1-3 during that span and has been reached for four runs in four of those six starts. Locke has not fared well away from home, posting a 3-4 record with a 6.51 ERA and 1.72 WHIP in nine road starts this season.

Harvey battled control problems during a three-start stretch sandwiching the All-Star break, walking 13 batters, but he has issued only one free pass during his current four-start unbeaten streak. He mowed down the Colorado Rockies in his last turn, allowing only four hits over eight innings, and limited Miami to two hits in seven scoreless frames on August 5. Harvey was shelled for seven runs over a season-low four innings at Pittsburgh on May 23.

WALK-OFFS

1. Mets 3B Juan Uribe and LF Michael Conforto homered Saturday to set a team record with 69 homers at Citi Field this season.

2. Pittsburgh has won seven consecutive games in extra innings.

3. Mets rookie LHP Steven Matz pitched one inning in a rehab start at Class A St. Lucie, allowing one run on three hits and striking out two.

PREDICTION: Mets 4, Pirates 2